Sunday’s final of the 2024 European Championship will likely see four Manchester City players involved.
After Rodri’s Spain beat France 2-1 in the first semi-final match, England overcame the Netherlands with the same scoreline to see Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones take the Three Lions to their first-ever major tournament final on foreign soil.
In the match against Nathan Ake’s side, Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins scored a sublime late winner after replacing Harry Kane in the second half.
Now though, ahead of the final, the Villa star has shared his thoughts on Rodri and what England will need to do to try and stop the City star from impacting the game.
- READ MORE: Who is Rodri? Get to know Man City’s modest midfield maestro who won a Champions League final
Ollie Watkins shares Rodri verdict ahead of England vs Spain
Speaking in a recent press conference ahead of the final, Watkins had this to say about Rodri.
He said: “I was speaking to Declan Rice earlier about I can remember watching the Italy game and Jorginho, I felt like was a crucial player for them in the last Euro final.
“So this time, obviously, playing against Rodri, everyone knows his talent, he is a world-class player, and I feel like he is crucial for the way they build up.
“So, if we can stop the ball from getting into him, it makes our life a lot easier, but it’s never that simple with a world-class player like him.”
England have a tough task trying to stop Rodri
Having played more minutes than any other outfield player in the Spain squad throughout the tournament, the 28-year-old has completed more passes (379) than any of his international teammates.
This shows why Watkins thinks England’s plan to subdue Spain is to stop the City star from seeing as much of the ball as possible.
However, with Emmanuel Petit saying that Rodri is near impossible to stop, it’s safe to say that Gareth Southgate’s side will have a tough test on their hands in trying to keep Rodri quiet.
